The document provides a guide for business leaders to design circular business models that create, deliver, and capture value through identifying opportunities, creating value propositions, determining necessary capabilities, and selecting pricing strategies. It includes tools to map existing value flows, locate lost value and value at risk, brainstorm circular opportunities, identify key partners, and develop win-win value propositions. The overall goal is to help businesses explore and define circular business models that are commercially viable and sustainable.

1. CIRCULAR
BUSINESS MODEL
DESIGN GUIDE
A practical guide to help business
leaders identify circular opportunities
and design business models that create,
deliver and capture value
Developed in collaboration with:

2. CONTENTS
01
INTRODUCTION 02
OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENT: WILL IT WORK? 05
1 WHERE TO PLAY 06
2 HOW TO WIN 13
3 HOW TO OPERATE 18
4 HOW TO PROFIT 21
FINAL OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENT 24
CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS 25
SUPPORTING MATERIAL 27
COMPLETED EXAMPLES 37

3. INTRODUCTION:
Creating value in new ways
with the circular economy
An economic case that
delivers on sustainability
The circular economy (CE) is a key enabler of the shift to
sustainable business practices, represented in the UN
Sustainable Development Goals as SDG12: responsible
production and consumption. It has an important role
in protecting life on water and on land (SDGs 14 and 15)
and contributing to climate action (SDG13).
According to a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation
(EMF), only five per cent of the material value of goods
produced is recovered.1 The CE provides a genuine economic
alternative. Restorative and regenerative by design, it aims
to maintain the value and use of products, components and
materials at all times. This means enabling reuse, multiple
uses, cascading uses, or fully closed loops for technical
or biological resources.
Circular businesses have an important role in the transition
to the circular economy, and there is commercial
opportunity to recover, generate and maximise value within
production and consumption systems. This is delivered
through product life extension, re-use, remanufacturing,
up and downcycling, and recycling. New business models,
the use of new disruptive technologies and new mindsets,
particularly around technology, are also key.
© Ellen MacArthur Foundation
PARTS
MANUFACTURER
Mining/materials
Manufacturing
Recycle
Refurbish/
remanufacture
Reuse/
redistribute
Extraction
of biochemical
feedstock
Anaerobic
digestion/
composting
Biosphere
restoration
Farming/
collection
Biogas
PRODUCT
MANUFACTURER
SERVICE
PROVIDER
USER
CONSUMER
B
I
O
L
O
G
I
C
A
L NUTRI
E
N
T
S
T
E
C
H
NICAL N
U
T
R
I
E
N
T
S
Maintenance
MENU
02
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY ON THE EMF WEBSITE

4. ABOUT THIS GUIDE
Purpose of the guide
The case for moving to the CE is
compelling and necessary. It offers
a way of improving resource and
economic efficiency while reducing
the impact on the natural environment,
biodiversity and climate, and it’s an
opportunity worth $1.8 trillion in value
in Europe alone by 2030.2
While technology, policy and regulation
have critical roles to play, the transition
to a CE will be powered by businesses of
all sizes finding new, circular ways of
creating, delivering and capturing value.
This guide helps businesses explore
and design circular business models.
It provides practical steps and
templates to navigate an area of
enormous opportunity.
Authors
The guide has been created through
an EMF CE collaboration project, led
and developed by experienced business
design, sustainability and CE experts
at PA Consulting and Exeter Business
School. Progress was informed by
regular testing and feedback from
large and small businesses, across
sectors and regions, from early stage
start-ups to established multi-nationals.
Who is it for?
The guide is for any business wanting
to understand how they can create,
deliver and capture value from circular
practices. Regardless of sector, region,
business activity, size or maturity,
it can be used to:
• identify new ‘greenfield’
circular business opportunities
and define the business and
operating models required
• explore and define how existing
linear businesses can become circular
• refine existing circular business
concepts and pilots.
The guide explores how to create,
deliver and capture value in its
different forms, recognising that this
is critical to investable and scalable
circular business models.
How to use it
The guide can be used in two ways:
• sequentially, working step by step
in a structured way to identify and
define new opportunities in an area
of business you are interested in
• or with a focus on particular areas
to test and refine for those with an
existing circular business concept.
Circular business design is an innovative
process, so be prepared to test key
assumptions, test and learn, and iterate
your business model with experience.
The steps and tools can be used
independently or in a workshop setting.
V1 NOV 20
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03
NAVIGATING THE GUIDE

5. Opportunity assessment
Identify the
opportunity
Explore the
opportunity
Four steps to seize the CE opportunity
This guide will help you identify and define the
opportunities for circular business models for your
business. The following four steps will help you make
decisions about:
WHERE TO PLAY – identify circular
business opportunities, using the
circular value system mapping tool
HOW TO WIN – create win-win
circular value propositions, using
the partner mapping tool and circular
value proposition template
HOW TO OPERATE – identify the circular
capabilities your business will need,
using the circular capability checklist
HOW TO PROFIT – select the right
circular pricing strategy, using
the pricing strategy checklist.
Throughout these four steps, the opportunity
assessment tool will help you assess and refine
the feasibility of the opportunity. And our
completed examples, using a fictional organisation
called ‘FashionCo’, offer further support.
NAVIGATING THE GUIDE
Click graphic to navigate to a section.
04
1
2
3
4
MENU
WILL IT WORK?
Continuously assess circularity feasibility
WHERE
TO PLAY
Identify circular
business
opportunities
HOW
TO WIN
Create
circular value
propositions
HOW TO
OPERATE
Identify
circular
capabilities
HOW TO
PROFIT
Select
circular pricing
strategy

6. OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENT: WILL IT WORK?
Use this template as you work through each step of the guide to assess
and refine the choices you make. Scoring is subjective.
WHERE
TO PLAY
How much potential value could this opportunity provide? Think about:
• how long it will take to realise that value
• how well does the opportunity align with organisational strategy.
How great is the gap between existing capabilities and the
capabilities you require? Think about:
• the cost associated with closing the capability gap
• how much effort it will require to close the capability gap.
To what extent is there potential in the value exchange
between the business, customers and partners? Think about:
• if there is a market for the value exchange
• whether customers and partners want to be part of the opportunity.
To what extent will the pricing strategy enable financial
sustainability? Think about:
• if the pricing strategy will enable flexibility
• if the pricing strategy is right for your current and new
customers now and in the future.
How will this impact the business and its staff due to the amount
of change required (including the emotional cost)? Think about:
• what it will require to launch the opportunity
• how the opportunity identified will affect the
company’s culture, processes, structure and staff.
What is the level of risk associated with pursuing or not pursuing
this opportunity? Think about:
• how this opportunity could create or prevent
financial and organisational risks
• the extent to which the opportunity will
affect new and existing customers.
HOW
TO WIN
HOW TO
OPERATE
HOW TO
PROFIT
BUSINESS
IMPACT
RISK
Little to no perceived value Very high perceived value
No value exchange opportunityHigh value exchange opportunity
Current capability not compatibleCurrent capability highly compatible
Not financially sustainableVery financially sustainable
Negative impact Positive impact
High riskLow risk
TOTAL/30
05
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NAVIGATION
COMPLETED
EXAMPLE

7. 1 WHERE TO PLAY
Identify circular business opportunities
The aim of this step is to
identify circular business
opportunities
There are three parts to this step.
It considers the existing value in the
business system, where value is lost and
at risk, and opportunities to recover lost
value and maximise existing values.
Two circular concepts will help you
complete this step:
• the power of circularity –
which describes how to create
economic value through looping
of resources and products
• a categorisation of typical circular
business models that put these
looping approaches into practice.
These are detailed further in the
supporting material.
This section has three tools:
06
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A: MAP EXISTING
VALUE FLOW
Objective
Identify the existing flow of
value within your system, what
kind of value it is and how it
is measured
Think about:
• What value do I provide?
• What part of the value
chain do I manage?
B: CONSIDER
LOST VALUE AND
VALUE AT RISK
Objective
Identify where value is lost
within your system and
what value is potentially
at future risk
Think about:
• Where is this value being
lost? Where are there
broken or incomplete
loops? Why is it not
being captured?
• What future customer,
supply or policy changes
may put current value
creation at risk?
C: IDENTIFY
CIRCULAR VALUE
OPPORTUNITIES
Objective
Based on the insights from 1A
and 1B, identify ways of creating
and/or closing loops to recover
lost value, maximise existing
value or conserve value at risk
Think about:
• What opportunities are
there to recover or create
new value? Could any
of the typical circular
business models help?
• Who benefits from
this value?

8. 1 A: Map existing value flow
VALUE YOU
CONTROL AND
MANAGE
VALUE YOU
DON’T MANAGE
07
MENU
NAVIGATION
OBJECTIVE
THINK ABOUT
INSTRUCTIONS
SEE COMPLETED
EXAMPLE (P38)
USE POST-IT
NOTES TO
ADD MORE
BOXES
OR USE OUR
LARGE-FORM
TEMPLATE

9. Objective:
Identify the existing flow of
value within your system.
Think about:
• What value do I provide? What type of value?
• What part of the value chain do I manage?
Instructions:
1 Use post-its to identify the key stages of
the value system you are considering (e.g.
from resource extraction, manufacturing,
distribution, sales, use, end of life disposal).
Place these in a circle and annotate with any
critical aspects of the value creation process
2 Map how value flows across the chain
at each of these stages. Separate the
value you control and manage on the
inside of the circle, and value you don’t
manage on the outside, such as value that
is managed by a supplier or partner
3 Consider the four types of tangible
value and how these exist within your
system (see supporting concept, right)
Supporting concept:
four types of value3
Resource value
Product, materials, energy, people, space, processes,
waste streams
Consumer value
Benefits provided to the change to consumer through
the product or service
Data value
Data collected from your product or services,
patents innovation
Relationship value
Value of networks and partnerships, consumer loyalty,
consumer lifetime value
Within CE and sustainability systems, it is also important
that a multi-stakeholder perspective is considered, i.e. that
value is provided to:
• environment
• society
• economy.
1 A: Map existing value flow – notes
08
BACK TO
TEMPLATE
SUPPORTING
MATERIAL (P27–28)

10. Value that is lost or at risk:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1 B: Consider lost value and value at risk
1 A:
VALUE YOU
CONTROL AND
MANAGE
VALUE YOU
DON’T MANAGE
09
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NAVIGATION
OBJECTIVE
THINK ABOUT
INSTRUCTIONS
SEE COMPLETED
EXAMPLE (P39)

11. Objective:
Identify where value is
lost within your system
and what value is
potentially at future risk.
Think about:
• Where is this value being lost? Where
are there broken or incomplete loops?
Why is it not being captured?
• What future customer, supply or
policy changes may put current
value creation at risk?
Instructions:
1 Looking at your system map from 1A,
identify where any types of value might
be lost because of linear flows or broken
loops (see supporting concept, right)
2 Identify what value within the
system might be a risk due to future
changes such as resource security,
climate change, regulation etc.
3 Consider how much value is being lost
or is at risk, and why (e.g. existing
industry structure, competitive forces
and technical barriers)
4 List out and prioritise value risk areas
based on the importance and impact to
your business
Supporting concept: the power
of circularity
The power of the inner circle
Materials and resources are reused, refurbished
or remanufactured through concepts such as
modularity and second hand markets
The power of circling longer
The products, components or materials are designed
to last longer, be more durable and easier to repair
The power of cascaded use
Product and materials have secondary and
tertiary uses rather than disposal
The power of pure circles
Closed loops are created where waste materials
and disassembled products and components
can be used as feedstock for new products4
1 B: Consider lost value and value at risk – notes
10
BACK TO
TEMPLATE
SUPPORTING
MATERIAL (P29)

12. 1 C: Identify circular value opportunities
Product lifetime
extension
Circular
supplies
Resource
recovery
Sharing
platform
CAPTURE
CIRCULAR
IDEAS
Idea description: Idea description:
Type of value generated
who benefits:
Type of value generated
who benefits:
Idea description: Idea description:
Type of value generated
who benefits:
Type of value generated
who benefits:
Value that is lost or at risk:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1 B:
USE POST-IT
NOTES TO
ADD MORE
BOXES
11
MENU
NAVIGATION
OBJECTIVE
THINK ABOUT
INSTRUCTIONS
SEE COMPLETED
EXAMPLE (P40)
USE POST-IT
NOTES TO
ADD MORE
BOXES
OR USE OUR
LARGE-FORM
TEMPLATE

13. Objective:
Identify opportunities to
create or close loops to
recover lost value, maximise
existing value or conserve
value at risk.
Think about:
• What opportunities are there to
close loops? Where could you deploy
typical circular business models?
• Who benefits from this value?
Instructions:
1 Create a new version of your
1A existing value flow map
2 From 1B, utilise the list of value lost or at risk
3 Using the looping concepts and circular
business models as inspiration, consider
for each item how to create and close
loops to recover or conserve value.
On the worksheet, draw arrows between
stages to illustrate where this happens
4 Capture your ideas to identify what kind of
value is generated and who benefits from it
Supporting concept: types of circular
business models5
Sharing platforms
Enable increased utilisation of a product by
enabling shared use/access/ownership, often allowing
consumers to access products more cheaply
Product-as-a-service
Products are no longer owned but accessed
by one or many customers through lease or
pay-for-use agreement
Product life extension
Extending the working life of a product to
ensure it can be valuable in its current form for
as long as possible
Resource recovery
Recovering energy and materials used in the
creation and use of products to ensure they
can be used again
Circular supplies
Minimising the natural and renewable resources
used, and designing these to be re-used or recycled
1 C: Identify circular value opportunities – notes
12
BACK TO
TEMPLATE
SUPPORTING
MATERIAL (P30–31)

14. 2 HOW TO WIN
Create circular value propositions
This step identifies how you can create value for customers
and key partners
There are two parts to this step. First, to identify which customers and key partners
will be critical to a successful business model, and secondly to define win-win
propositions that create value for both parties.
Supporting concept:
Linear models and traditional customer value propositions
are based on exchanging money for products or services.
In a CE, a richer relationship that creates mutual benefits
is often required. Much of the value being recovered
or created is enabled by a relationship sustained over
time, with an exchange of information. For example,
mechanisms to recover products and materials from
customers after use, or to know details about the
condition and use of these products and materials.
Rather than thinking purely about a customer/supplier
relationship, we think about a two-way partnership
where the costs incurred are outweighed by the benefits
each party receives in relation to their needs.
This section has two tools:
YOUR BUSINESS YOUR PARTNER
Resource
(Cost)
Need
(Benefit)
Need
(Benefit)
Resource
(Cost)
Proposition
13
MENU
NAVIGATION
A: IDENTIFY
CUSTOMERS AND KEY
PARTNERSHIPS NEEDED
Objective
To gain an understanding of the
value exchange required for the
opportunity you have selected, you
will need to identify the types of
partners who will be critical to your
business and the circular
opportunity identified.
B: DEFINE MUTUALLY
BENEFICIAL CIRCULAR
VALUE PROPOSITIONS
Objective
Identify the needs of customers
and key partners, and define what
a mutually beneficial circular value
proposition is.

15. 2 A: Identify customers and key partners
What type of organisations are required
to make the opportunity possible?
How critical will they
be to your success?
(High / Medium / Low)
14
MENU
NAVIGATION
OBJECTIVE
THINK ABOUT
INSTRUCTIONS SEE COMPLETED
EXAMPLE (P41)

16. Objective:
To identify the key customer
and partner groups critical
to your success.
Think about:
• customers
• suppliers
• go-to-market partners
• infrastructure providers
• the whole lifecycle of products
and materials.
Instructions:
1 Review the value system you created
and ideas you generated in steps
template 1A, template 1B, template 1C
and pick an idea to explore
2 List out in the 2A template (see previous
page) the types of organisations you will
need to interact with or will be dependent
on to make the opportunity you identified
in the previous section possible
3 Consider different types of value
exchanges with organisations
across the whole value system
4 Assess how critical they will be in
delivering your idea and how much
power they will have in capturing value
2 A: Identify customers and key partners – notes
15
BACK TO
TEMPLATE

17. 2
B: Define mutually beneficial circular value propositions
Now you understand who you need to partner with, use the value exchange template
below to understand their needs and develop the offer.
Opportunity
Customer or partner Your organisation
Needs
Outcome
What outcomes are they pursuing
that you can help with?
What goals are you pursuing
that require a partner?
Needs
What are their specific needs? What are your specific needs?
Why
exchange?
Why would your potential partner
exchange value with you?
Why would you exchange value
with the potential partner?
Proposition
The offer
What is our offer to each of those needs?
How does this address the partner goal?
What do you need the partner to
offer to meet your needs?
Benefits
What are the unique and additional benefits
that differentiate you from competitors’ offers?
What benefits will you receive
from the partner?
Exchange
model
How would the exchange work?
Through what channels will it be delivered?
Trade-offs
What will the partner NOT get from you
(that may be available from competitors)?
What will you NOT get from the partner?
16
MENU
NAVIGATION
OBJECTIVE
THINK ABOUT
INSTRUCTIONS SEE COMPLETED
EXAMPLE (P42)
USE SEPARATE
LARGE-FORMAT
TEMPLATE

18. Objective:
Define a win–win value
proposition for customers
and each critical partner.
Think about:
• exchange of products and materials,
data and services, not just money
• exchanges over time, not just at
purchase point
• customer pain points that exist
today and that could be barriers to
a circular proposition.
Instructions:
1 Complete template 2B for each
critical partner you identify
2 Start with the outcome and specific
needs you and the partner have
3 It may help to consider different segments,
or use personas of customer journey maps
to understand your partner’s perspective
4 Develop mutual win-win propositions,
and define how these will work in practice
5 Engage with partner organisations
and consider collaborating with
them on this exercise
2 B: Define mutually beneficial circular value propositions – notes
17
BACK TO
TEMPLATE

19. 3 HOW TO OPERATE
Identify circular capabilities
This step identifies the key
circular capabilities your
organisation will need in
order to be successful.
It explores both operating and support
capabilities, organised by typical circular
business models. These are prompts to
inspire you to identify the circular
capabilities your business will need, and
should not constrain your thinking.
The section focuses on circular specific
capabilities which may be new or have
critical differences.
Supporting concept:
Business capabilities are a helpful way to
think about what your business will need to
do and what tasks it will need to perform.
They are a way of defining the ‘what’ of the
operating model.
To deliver capabilities successfully, businesses
need a combination of resources (such as
people, information, applications and
facilities) organised in the right way
(processes and structure, for example).
The operating and support capabilities
required will differ between the various
circular business models.
This section has one tool:
18
MENU
NAVIGATION
A: IDENTIFY KEY
CIRCULAR CAPABILITIES
Objective
Identify the capabilities needed to successfully
operate your new circular business.

20. 3 A: Circular capability tool
Now that you understand who you need to partner with and their needs,
use the circular capability tool to define the capabilities to operate successfully
Key activity
steps
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4
Capability
Capability
Capability
Capability
Capability
Capability
Critical resources
needed:
19
MENU
NAVIGATION
OBJECTIVE
THINK ABOUT
INSTRUCTIONS
SEE COMPLETED
EXAMPLE (P43)
USE SEPARATE
LARGE-FORMAT
TEMPLATE FOR
MORE SPACE

21. Objective:
To identify specific circular
capabilities that your
business will need.
Think about:
• operating and supporting capabilities. You
can use the next two pages as a prompt.
Instructions:
1 Identify the key value-adding activity steps
for your circular initiative and add these
to the top of the table (see page 19)
2 Break down each step into the
capabilities required to perform it
(use the capability prompter list in
the supporting concept box, right)
3 Identify any critical resources you will
need for these capabilities. Consider key
and scarce skills, facilities or equipment,
information, technology and relationships
4 Colour code the maturity of each capability
to guide where you will need to focus
development activity:
Red – capability does not exist
and cannot be easily acquired
Amber – capability exists or can be
acquired but will need to be developed
Green – capability exists or
can be easily acquired
3 A: Circular capability tool – notes
Supporting concept:
circular capabilities
• operating circular capabilities (p32)
• circular supporting capabilities (p33).
20
BACK TO
TEMPLATE
SUPPORTING
MATERIAL (P34)

22. 4
HOW TO PROFIT
Identifying the pricing strategies required to develop financially
sustainable business model(s)
This step identifies pricing
strategies that will help your
business monetise the value
it creates, making it viable
and able to scale.
It includes prompter material on
different pricing strategies and how
they can apply in the CE.
The pricing strategy tool helps you
choose a suitable strategy and evaluate
the implications.
Supporting concept:
Previous steps have focused on a broad
concept of value, recognising the important
contribution the CE can make to the
environment and society.
To be successful, your business needs to
capture enough of the value it creates for
customer and partners as income, in order to
finance itself.
To attract investment capital, cover costs, invest
in the future and scale, the business must be
financially viable, not just creating value in the
value system.
This can be a challenge in the CE, given it often
necessitates understanding and maximising
value over the whole life of products and
materials, potentially through multiple owners.
This section has one tool:
21
MENU
NAVIGATION
A: PRICING STRATEGY TOOL
Objective
To understand the potential pricing strategies
that can be employed to help achieve your
CE goals.

23. 4 A: Pricing strategy tool
Now that you understand the value exchange propositions, use the pricing
strategy tool to define the right pricing model(s) for your opportunity
Opportunity name: Implications:
Which pricing
model fits
best with the
opportunity?
(Pay for
ownership
or access)
What are the benefits of your
chosen pricing strategy over linear
competitors? (Identifying value)
How will you capture and report non-
financial value that would otherwise
have been lost? (For instance, the
social and environmental impact)
How will your customers benefit
from this pricing strategy?
(i.e. meeting needs)
How much are your customers
willing to pay? (Consider different
pricing for different segments)
What are the organisational
implications for your business?
How will this pricing strategy
impact your revenue and costs?
22
MENU
NAVIGATION
SEE COMPLETED
EXAMPLE (P44)
OBJECTIVE
THINK ABOUT
INSTRUCTIONS

24. Objective:
To understand the potential
pricing strategies that can
be employed to help achieve
your CE goals.
Think about:
• Which pricing model fits best with the
circular opportunity identified?
• What are the implications of the
chosen pricing strategy in terms
of impact and benefits?
• Who are the beneficiaries and what
is their willingness to pay?
Instructions:
1 Identify which pricing model (see
supporting concept, right) fits best
with the opportunity identified
2 Consider the questions in the pricing
strategies (see supporting material) and
how these will align to your business model
3 Once you have identified a pricing model
that works with your business model, use
the pricing strategy tool template to think
through the implications for your business
4 A: Pricing strategy tool – notes
Supporting concept:
• paying for ownership – pay for the right
to own the product indefinitely
• paying for access – pay for the right to
access the product on agreed terms.
23
BACK TO
TEMPLATE
SUPPORTING
MATERIAL (P35)

25. FINAL OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENT
Assess and review the potential of your opportunity
WHERE
TO PLAY
How much potential value could this opportunity provide? Think about:
• how long it will take to realise that value
• how well does the opportunity align with organisational strategy.
How great is the gap between existing capabilities and the
capabilities you require? Think about:
• the cost associated with closing the capability gap
• how much effort it will require to close the capability gap.
To what extent is there potential in the value exchange
between the business, customers and partners? Think about:
• if there is a market for the value exchange
• whether customers and partners want to be part of the opportunity.
To what extent will the pricing strategy enable financial
sustainability? Think about:
• if the pricing strategy will enable flexibility
• if the pricing strategy is right for your current and new
customers now and in the future.
How will this impact the business and its staff due to the amount
of change required (including the emotional cost)? Think about:
• what it will require to launch the opportunity
• how the opportunity identified will affect the
company’s culture, processes, structure and staff.
What is the level of risk associated with pursuing or not pursuing
this opportunity? Think about:
• how this opportunity could create or prevent
financial and organisational risks
• the extent to which the opportunity will
affect new and existing customers.
HOW
TO WIN
HOW TO
OPERATE
HOW TO
PROFIT
BUSINESS
IMPACT
RISK
Little to no perceived value Very high perceived value
No value exchange opportunityHigh value exchange opportunity
Current capability not compatibleCurrent capability highly compatible
Not financially sustainableVery financially sustainable
Negative impact Positive impact
High riskLow risk
TOTAL/30
24
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NAVIGATION

26. CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS
Making your circular opportunities a reality
Next steps
This guide is a starting point for your
journey into creating, delivering and
realising value through circular
business models.
Circular business design is an innovative
process, so be prepared to test key
assumptions, test and learn, and iterate
your business model with experience.
We would love to connect with you to
hear your experiences and help you along
your journey. Your feedback will also
shape the guide's ongoing development.
Complete our questionnaire or get in
touch directly.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank those individuals who
have contributed to developing the guide,
providing feedback, or testing it:
From the Ellen MacArthur Foundation network and other
organisations: Frances Kärsten, Peter Bartel and Arne
Janssen (C-ECO), Gaurav Sharma (Schneider Electric),
Peter A Lindeblad and Pia Huusfelt (INGKA), Nitesh
Magdani (Net Positive Solutions), Sophie Thornander
and Raquel de Mira (Philips), Jan Konietzko and Brian
Baldassarre (TU Delft), Isabelle Gubelmann-Bonneau
and Imre Horvath (Solvay), Sarah Jones (Siemens),
Dhruv Boruah and Nicky Adamo (CommonVC),
Domini Hogg (Tried and Supplied), Adam Vine
(Relay. eco), Elliot Warren (Giftdrop)
From University of Exeter: Fiona Charnley,
Adam Lusby, Delfina Zagarzazu, Ken Webster,
Oke Okorie, Katie Cooke, Kim Nettleton-Croley,
Allen Alexander and David Monciardi
From PA Consulting: Finuala Alexander, Elodie Aubanel,
Tom Bovingdon, Olivia Christen, Donna Fiegert, Kati
Gardner, Georgina Gately, Nicola Keen, Anne-Marthe
Kristiansen, Annabelle Livingstone, Sam Maguire,
Stephan Metcalfe, Michael Milton, Josh Morris, Richard
Owen, Natalie Podd, Sukh Plaha, Grace Rawcliffe,
Rishi Sharda, Eelco Spinhof, Amelia Yeomans
Mark Lancelott
Sustainability and
business design expert
PA Consulting
mark.lancelott@paconsulting.com
Merryn Haines-Gadd
Researcher in Circular
Economy and Design
University of Exeter
m.s.haines-gadd@exeter.ac.uk
Developed in collaboration with:
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27. SUPPORTING
MATERIAL
26

28. SUPPORTING MATERIAL
The aim of this section:
The aim of this section is to provide
further information on the supporting
concepts for the steps and tools in
the main section.
This information is to help guide you
through your exercises and provide
inspiration when identifying your
circular opportunity. It will also help
set which circular business model will
best fit and is most relevant for
your organisation.
This section is divided into six key topics:
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1B: The power
of circularity
Objective
Provide insight on how
circularity can create value in
four ways.
1A: Value
taxonomy
Objective
Identifies types of tangible
and intangible value and
organisation can achieve within
their CE system.
1C: Circular business
models in practice
Objective
Describes five various circular
business models, how they work
in practice, their benefits and how
they can create value in relation to
the power of circularity.
3A: Operating
circular capabilities
Objective
Use this list of operating
capabilities to help identify
the circular capabilities your
business will need. See also:
3A: Circular capabilities list.
3A: Circular supporting
capabilities
Objective
Use this list of supporting
capabilities to help identify
the circular capabilities your
business will need. See also:
3A: Circular capabilities list.
4A: Innovative
pricing strategies
Objective
Examples of pricing strategies
within ‘pay for ownership’ and
‘pay for access’ for your
chosen circular business model.

29. 1A: Value taxonomy
The value taxonomy framework identifies different types of value available within the circular system, and will help in completing step 1A.
The Taxonomy of Value framework,
developed by Haines-Gadd and Charnley,
helps to identify and understand the
different types of value available within
the CE system.6 Through literature review
and case study analysis they propose
there is tangible/explicit and intangible/
implicit value within the CE.
Tangible/explicit value is value
that can be capitalised upon:
Resource value, customer value,
relationship value, data/knowledge value.
Intangible/implicit value is
value that is generated as a
result of circular systems:
Stability and control, symbiosis, positive
social impact, altruism, behaviour change.
TYPES OF TANGIBLE/EXPLICIT VALUE
Resource value
Product, materials, energy, people, space,
processes, waste streams
Data/knowledge value
Data collected from your product or service,
patents, innovations
Consumer value
Benefits provided to the consumer through the
product or service
Relationship value
Value of networks and partnerships, consumer
loyalty, consumer lifetime value
TYPES OF INTANGIBLE/IMPLICIT VALUE
Stability
and
control
Positive
social
impact
Behaviour
change
Altruism
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30. 1B: The power of circularity
Circularity can create value in four ways.7 Read the descriptions about the four different ways circularity can create value to
assess whether it inspires any new ideas about opportunities for your business when completing step 1B. Pages 30–33 outline
five business models linked to these circular values.
THE POWER OF THE
INNER CIRCLE
THE POWER OF
CIRCLING LONGER
THE POWER OF
CASCADED USE
THE POWER OF
PURE CIRCLES
This involves minimising the materials
and resources required for reusing,
refurbishing or remanufacturing.
For example, the modular design of
Nike Zvezdochka shoes replaces worn
parts rather than the whole shoe.
This looks at ways to extend the life
of products through innovation and
technology, minimising the resources
required for full product or component
creation. For example, Caterpillar has
an engine block with a removable
sleeve. When the component is
recovered, this material can be
removed and replaced to return the
engine to as-new performance.
This business model optimises the
use of the product from delivering its
primary purpose, to secondary use
after this, and then tertiary use etc. For
example, HM sell first-hand clothing
as a primary purpose, may re-sell to
different markets as second-hand, then
turn the clothing into other products
such as cleaning cloths, followed by use
as textile fibres for insulation material.
Products within this concept of
value creation are created from
pure, raw materials. When they are
redistributed, the quality is maintained,
extending product longevity. For
example, Desso carpet use pure nylon
because products made from pure
components are easier to disassemble
to create new products in both the
biological and technical cycles.
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31. 1C: Circular business models in practice
BUSINESS MODEL THE NEED CIRCULAR SOLUTION THE BENEFIT
Creating a sharing platform
Example: Fat Llama
A lot of equipment owned by individuals
is used only a few hours in its lifetime.
An effective sharing economy model
would help realise underutilised potential
A peer-to-peer sharing platform
for technical equipment; a thriving
marketplace for lenders and borrowers
with insurance covered by Fat Llama
Access to a wide range of high-end
equipment at an affordable rate for
the consumer, extra revenue from
idle assets for asset owners and a
strong incentive to create equipment
that lasts for the manufacturers
Products are used by one or many
customers by means of a lease
or pay-for-use arrangement.
Example: Hewlett-Packard
Plastic printing cartridges are
expensive to the customer, often
single use, and rarely recycled
An IoT subscription model that
increases cartridge recovery and
recycling by using connected printers
to send customers replacement
cartridges, with pre-paid envelopes
for returning used cartridges
Reduced packaging eliminates up to
57% of waste. Ink costs for consumers
reduced by up to 50%. Data helps inform
system designs for manufacturers to
minimise waste, improve serviceability,
durability, and customer satisfaction
Extending products’ lifecycle
through initial product design and
refurbishment or remanufacture
enabling the resale of products
Example: Apple
Electronic products are very difficult
to recycle, expensive to produce,
and use up a lot of resource in both
manufacturing and recycling
Trade-ins allows users to trade in their
phones or laptops for an Apple gift
voucher. The product is then refurbished
and made available for resale or reuse
Fewer devices are being thrown away
or recycled while still useable. The full
value of the materials and resources is
being gained before they are effectively
recycled and the parts used in new
devices, benefitting the organisation
Upcycling or recycling products
Example: Rede Asta
An enormous amount of material
value is lost in landfill sites. For
example, everyday in Brazil around
200,000 tons of solid waste is collected
and only around 3% is recycled
Rede Asta has partnerships with
hundreds of companies in Brazil to
collect waste or unused equipment.
They then offer bespoke designs
using these discarded materials to
suit specific marketing purposes
Impact at scale: wide network
means discarded materials can be
recovered nationwide, creating value
and reducing liabilities for companies.
Over 80% of the products for consumers
are made from recovered materials
Redesigning products and
supporting operations
Example: Google Data Centres
High utilisation of resources and energy
efficiency required in all hardware,
software and all infrastructure
across Google Data Centres
Google is the primary manufacturer of all
its server parts and tests all components
every quarter. This helps it maintain/
prolong, refurbish/remanufacture, reuse/
redistribute or recycle as needed for
the longest lifecycle product possible
Active transition to a CE for Google that
combined with a circular approach to
optimise the end of life of servers have
resulted in hundreds of millions per year
in cost avoidance for the organisation
SHARING
PLATFORMS
PRODUCT AS
A SERVICE
PRODUCT-LIFE-
EXTENSION
RESOURCE
RECOVERY
CIRCULAR
SUPPLIES
Circular business models use loops to create and retain value within the system. Below are examples of typical circular
business models and describes what benefits they offer, to help complete step 1C.8
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32. 1C:What value can business model strategies create?9
RESOURCE VALUE CUSTOMER VALUE KNOWLEDGE/DATA VALUE RELATIONSHIP VALUE
• revenue from selling access to a product
for a specific period of time or ‘uses’,
and retaining material ownership
• revenue from increased utilisation rate of products,
enabling shared use/access/ownership
• reduction in the resources used and wasted due to
shared rather than individual ownership of products
• can reduce reliance on individuals
to invest in paying for the product
• more flexibility by providing functions/
products only when needed
• provides increased access
to variety of products
• improved understanding of when customers
require goods and what they need them for
• longer customer and company relationship
• relationships with customers who
could not afford product outright
• ability to develop supply chain or
partner goals to deliver the platform
• ability to create new services as
unique value propositions
• more consistent and predictable income
streams from service subscriptions
• potential for reduced resource usage and waste
creation through delivering as a service
• can be more cost effective for
consumer as reduces upfront
costs on high value items
• provides flexibility, less commitment
• increased product value from repairs
• provides more options for
how to pay for the service
• delivering products as a service can facilitate
improvements in the ability to collect data
particularly where the service is digital
• reach more consumers at a lower price
point and lower cost to the organisation
• ability to develop supply chain or
partner goals to deliver the service
• revenue from providing after-sales maintenance
or upgrading services on longer life products
• revenue from sales of refurbished, remanufactured
or repaired units and components
• reduced resources used instead of replacing
items, consumers maintain existing products
• reduces the amount that individuals
have to pay to replace items
• extended use of products that
are long lasting and reliable
• allows consumers to trust they are
making sustainable purchases
• maintaining products gives exposure
to how consumers are using products,
which is valuable in future marketing
and design activities
• longer customer/company relationship
• relationships with contractors/suppliers
• ability to develop supply chain or partner
goals to enable the extension of product-life
• revenue from recovering resources out
of disposed products or by-products/
resourcing end-of-life and end-of-use
• resources recovered can be used to save
money in other areas e.g. capture of
heat or light during manufacturing
• reduced waste as valuable materials are
extracted for re-use/reducing waste and
production waste by reproducing materials
• cost-efficient option from using
pre-used materials and resources.
• the ability to make eco-conscious
purchasing decisions of products that
have a lower environment burden
• greater knowledge about resource
properties and infrastructure can
support understanding of opportunities
for new product development
• creates the potential for longer customer
relationships as it provides a reason for
customers to come to you at the end of
use. This also allows stronger and longer
relationships with contractors/suppliers
• ability to develop supply chain or partner
goals to enable the recovery of resources
• reduced waste and pollution from
intentionally using resources and materials
designed to be used and re-used
• potential cost reductions from
minimising resources used
• knowledge that products used
will be properly and appropriately
managed and disposed
• can be more transparent in data
about the products to be used
as a product differentiator
• longer lasting relationships with partners
• ability to develop supply chain or partner
goals to enable the use of circular supplies.
SHARING
PLATFORMS
PRODUCT AS
A SERVICE
PRODUCT-LIFE-
EXTENSION
RESOURCE
RECOVERY
CIRCULAR
SUPPLIES
Below is a mapping that shows how the typical circular business models can create value,
using the value taxonomy described on page 28.
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33. 3A: Operating circular capabilities
Circular business model type
Circular business
model types
Sharing
platforms
Product as
a service
Product-life
extension
Resource
recovery
Circular
supplies
Operating circular
capabilities
Clean material flows
Effectively ensure material and component flows are clean so they can be reused by customers, partners etc.
or reused in manufacturing of new products
Product maintenance
and repair
Repair and collect products, and provide maintenance for longer
term use by the customers
Repair and re-use products and
components through your own
manufacturing process to produce
new products
Circular redesign
and upgrades
Redesign products for circularity in order to provide upgrades
for longer term use by the customers
Upgrade and redesign re-used products
and materials to develop a new product
Take back schemes /
manage returned
products and materials
Effectively manage return and collection of used products
from customers
Effectively collect and manage returned
used products and byproducts from
other organisations, stakeholders,
suppliers and from potential customers
Re-market products
Re-market upgraded or repaired products for further use
by customers
N/A
Re-market
upgraded or
repaired products
for further use
by customers
Use this list of operating capabilities to help identify the circular capabilities your business will need.
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34. 3A: Circular supporting capabilities
Circular business model type
Circular business
model types
Sharing
platforms
Product as
a service
Product-life
extension
Resource
recovery
Circular
supplies
Circular supporting
capabilities
Data analytics
management
Get insight on customer need, demand, product information and usage, and identify market trends. Manage
the data collection and analysis. Use this information to improve the circularity of your product or offering
Manage flexible
pricing models/
reprice products/
manage pricing services
Enable short- and long-term contracts with
pricing options for customers. Consider platforms,
memberships and different pricing levels for first buys,
services, repairs, collection/delivery and refills
N/A N/A
Manage quality
standard processes
Assess quality of products, and ensure that the reused
products and refilled products are in good condition
to be further used by existing or new customers
Assess quality of materials and re-used
materials to be used in the manufacturing
of new products and assess quality of
finished products to be sold to customers
Use this list of supporting capabilities to help identify the circular capabilities your business will need.
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35. 3A: Circular capabilities list
CIRCULAR CAPABILITIES LIST
OPERATING CAPABILITIES SUPPORTING CAPABILITIES
Supporting capabilities Management of distribution channels
Assessment and/or inspection of materials Effective platform management
Inventory management Service subscription and/or service contract management
Management of innovative packaging/repacking products Matching supply/demand real time assessment
Asset management and tracking/remote monitoring Supplier management
Management of product cleaning and refill processes Customer relationship management
Management of remanufacturing, refurbishment
and recondition of products
Circular supply chain management
Understanding new product uses and applications Circular lifecycle planning
Management of circular production processes Forecasting and monitoring market prices
Understand utilisation of products Management of circular procurement processes
Manage RD processes Management of partnerships
Management of sustainable sourcing Conducting market analysis
Design of products for disassembly, recovery, end of life
and life extension
Management of legal processes
Product condition assessment/inspection of products/
conducting product fault analysis
Contract management including outsourcing contracts
Collection of waste Management of financial incentives schemes for recovered parts
Providing a list of operating and supporting circular capabilities that will help identify what capabilities your business needs.
Operating capabilities directly create value for customers, whilst support capabilities do this indirectly, enabling the operating capabilities.
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36. 4A: Innovative pricing strategies
If I offer my customers ownership of a product If I offer my customers access to a service
What are the pricing
strategy options?
Pricing
implications
Number of
transactions
Sell and
buy-back
for re-sale
and reuse
The customer owns
the product until
another buys it
Separate price strategies
required for primary
markets and secondary
“used” markets – e.g.
eBay, Depop, Gumtree
MANY
FEW
Sell and
refurbish
for re-sale
The customer owns
product and receives
a deposit/incentive
on return of product
or core component
Flexible pricing strategies
as it needs to include
refurbishments and resale of
products and components
- e.g. Caterpillar REMAN,
The Real Real, Patagonia
Sell and
take-
back for
recycle
Customer owns until
manufacturer takes
back for recycling
Pricing strategies may
be closest to traditional
models – e.g. reGain,
HM, Zara, CA
What are the pricing
strategy options?
Pricing
implications
Number of
transactions
Pay for
one-off
usage
Consumer has access
to an asset for a
period of time
Pricing based on one-
off access based on the
length of usage– e.g.
Airbnb, Rent the Runway
(occasion), Filippa K
MANY
Pay for
sub-
scription
Pricing based on
expected uses over
lifetime and timing
Access to a service on
a subscription basis –
e.g. Netflix, Rent the
Runway (monthly)
Supporting concept: Paying for ownership –
pay for the right to own the product indefinitely
Supporting concept: Paying for access –
pay for the right to access the product on agreed terms
Examples of pricing strategies within ‘pay for ownership’ and ‘pay for access’ for your chosen circular business model.
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WHAT PRICING OPTIONS DO I HAVE?
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37. COMPLETED
EXAMPLES
36

38. COMPLETED EXAMPLES
Inspiration examples to help you complete the exercises…
The organisation
We will be using fictional organisation
called ‘FashionCo’ to demonstrate how
you can go about completing
these exercises.
FashionCo is a fashion brand that
currently operates in a linear manner.
The business is run in a traditional sense;
it sources raw materials, designs styles
and manufactures the clothes into these
styles using these raw materials. It then
packages and brings the clothes to retail
stores to sell on to customers.
Until now, FashionCo has made certain
attempts to instil circularity into its
present operations, however it is
looking to progress this significantly
and introduce circularity as a
fundamental concept.
Where to find the examples
Each exercise template links to a
completed version from FashionCo’s
perspective.
How to use the examples
Use FashionCo’s examples as a guidance
when you are struggling to get started
or are in need of inspiration.
This section includes examples to the
tools provided throughout the guide:
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‘FASHIONCO’ COMPLETED EXAMPLE
FashionCo objective
Provide examples to the exercises throughout the guide to help and
provide inspiration when using the CE Design Guide.

39. 1
A: Map existing value flow [completed example]
Resources:
Fabric (China), dyes
(India), components – zips,
buttons, thread (China)
End of life:
Details:
unknown
Use/maintain:
Garments not repaired or
maintained and discarded
Garments worn very
infrequently
Details:
unknown
Distribution/sales:
UK based distribution
products sold on
company website
with retail partners
Manufacturing:
Two factories
in Shenzhen
100 employees
VALUE YOU
CONTROL AND
MANAGE
Reusable
pallets
returned
to supplier
Capture consumer
emails at point of sale
Offcuts
Sent to landfill
Old machinery sent to
landfill at end of life
No info on how long
product is used
Packaging LPDE
disposed (landfill)
by consumer
Packing waste
handled by waste
manager supplier
Products most likely
end up in landfill or
second hand market in
developing countries
Suppliers A, B, C – virgin
resources (plastic, metal,
cotton) used to produce
fabric and components
VALUE YOU
DON’T MANAGE
FashionCo
FashionCo manufactures
and sells clothing in the
UK and EU.
They mapped the
lifecycle of one of their
product lines (seasonal
wear) and tracked how
and where value flowed
across the key stages of
their system.
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TEMPLATE

40. 1
B: Consider lost value
and value at risk [completed example]
Value that is lost or at risk:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1 A:
FashionCo
Looking at the map from 1A,
FashionCo identified where they are
losing value across their system and
where value might be at risk in the
future due to external factors.
VALUE YOU
CONTROL AND
MANAGE
VALUE YOU
DON’T MANAGE
Input/resources: Virgin materials at risk due to climate change
and resource scarcity
Manufacturing: Do not reuse or repurpose waste products of
manufacturing process (e.g. unsellable pieces, offcuts)
Manufacturing: Equipment ending up in landfill once it
becomes obsolete
Distribution/sales: Having issues with unsold seasonal stock that
ends up incinerated or recycled
Use/maintain: No data or insights are collected about the product
in use, i.e lifespan, how often worn or used, or where it ends up at
end of life
Use/maintain: No value is captured from the product during the
use phase
Use/maintain: Seasonal stock (coats etc.) have low utilisation rates
of 3–4 months per year
Use/maintain: Garments not used when out of favour, don’t fit or
fall out of fashion
Use/maintain: The packaging only protects the product inside and
yet it comprises a significant proportion of the costs
End of life: Many of our products are not getting repaired or
refurbished so end up in landfill
End of life: Products not designed for disassembly,
material recovery
End of life: Consumers unsure of how to dispose of unwanted
products so end up in landfill
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TEMPLATE

41. 1
C: Identify circular value
opportunities risk [completed example]
Input/
resource
End of life
Use/
maintain
Distribution/
sales
Manufacture
Product lifetime
extension
Circular
supplies
Resource
recovery
Sharing
platform
CAPTURE
CIRCULAR
IDEAS
Idea description: Idea description:
Type of value generated
who benefits:
Type of value generated
who benefits:
Idea description: Idea description:
Type of value generated
who benefits:
Type of value generated
who benefits:
Idea description:
Type of value generated
who benefits:
Value that is lost or at risk:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1 B:
[Completed
example]
FashionCo
Utilising the list of
lost and value at risk,
FashionCo generated
ideas for how to recover
the lost and at-risk value,
as well as how to create
new value within
their network.
They used the typical
circular business models
as inspiration.
Use recycled materials
such as pre-worn cotton as
inputs to reduce risk and
burden of virgin resources
Reduces overall carbon
footprint, benefiting
the environment
Repurpose unusable
materials – sell unwearable
clothes as dish cloths
New revenue stream,
better perception of the
company’s ethics
Create an initiative for
customers to share, swap
or sell unwanted clothes
Extends the use of the
products, creates community
between consumers
Set up rental scheme of
seasonal clothes such
as coats, gloves etc
Organise take-back scheme
of unwanted clothes for
upcycling or material recovery
Increase utilisation of the
products, creates a new
revenue stream, opens up to a
different customer segment
Diverts resources from landfill,
creates potential new resource
stream for manufacture
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42. 2
A: Identify customers
and key partners [completed example]
What type of organisations are required
to make the opportunity possible?
How critical will they
be to your success?
(High / Medium / Low)
Logistics partner to manage distribution and take back of clothing High
Existing customers High
Technology partner to manage online platform and collect data Medium
Analytics partner to manage and interpret data captured Medium
Partner to clean, repair and inspect clothing High
FashionCo
Picking ideas from stage
1C, FashionCo decided to
explore the rental of
seasonal clothing (coats
etc.) as a new circular
initiative. They decided to
incorporate data capture
as part of their activities
to track product usage
and improve their
knowledge about their
customers and products.
They listed all the
partners they need to
make this idea happen.
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43. 2
B: Value exchange template [completed example]
FashionCo
After listing all the
potential partners in the
previous step, FashionCo
picked their customer as
the first partner to fill in
the value exchange
template.
This allowed them to
refine what the consumer
value proposition would
be for their initiative.
They would then repeat
this step with another
partner, such as a
potential repairing and
cleaning partner.
Opportunity
Customer or partner Your organisation (FashionCo)
Needs
Outcome
Clothing that provides comfort, warmth
and style at the time of year I need it
Increase our customer base and capture
value from a products during the use phase
Needs
Coats for different occasions (work, casual,
outdoor), varying sizes and styles
Continuous and reliable revenue stream,
increased knowledge of products
Why
exchange?
Saves space in wardrobe, reduce
environmental impact, gives consumer
ability to have new coat each season,
can get different sizes if needed
They will pay to access to clothes and
facilitate data capture on our products
Proposition
The offer
We will provide customer focused, data-
driven on-demand access to seasonal
clothing. The service will stock the latest
designs, provide style suggestions, as well
as cleaning, repairing and storing services
Customers will provide economic
value and a willingness to engage with
data capture aspect of the service
Benefits
No other seasonal coat service
currently available, consumer and
data focus of the initiative
Diversify our customer base, customer
loyalty, data on utilisation and lifespan of
products, maximise the value of our assets
Exchange
model
Using an online platform, customer will pay a subscription for coats for a season. Data will be
captured on coat in use through RFID and then will be taken back when no longer needed
Delivered by courier or through local dry cleaning network
Trade-offs
Won’t have the ability to own and
keep their coat all year round. Would
need to re-order every year
Lack of certainty that the coats
will be cared for while in use
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44. 3 A: Circular capability tool [completed example]
Now that you understand who you need to partner with and their needs,
use the circular capability tool to develop your offer.
Key activity
steps
Source
clothing
Matching
clothing to
customer needs
Distribution
and take back
clothes
Refurbish
and re-pack
clothes
Capability Ability to understand
sustainability impact
for clothing
Manage flexible
pricing models and
setting the right
pricing strategy
Manage distribution
and network
channels
Re-pack products
Capability Effective collection
of materials and
products
Analytics to
understand
customer needs
Monitor item usage Add materials
Capability Stock management Conduct customer
research and
feedback
Take-back schemes/
scheduling of
return and repairs
Check quality
Capability Manage customer
insight
Provide options and
help customer ‘select’
Inventory
management/
track quantity
Product maintenance
and repair/refurbish
Capability Manage sustainable
sourcing
Manage data usage
and privacy
Effective platform
management
Inspect materials
and products
Capability Communicate
and engage with
customers to
promote ‘give back’
Manage ethical
marketing
Subscription
management
Product redesign
and upgrade
Critical resources
needed:
• collection points
• trained staff
• analytics software
• storage/warehouse
space.
• trained staff
• customer segments
statistics and trends
• robust data
platforms and
security software.
• trained staff
• sales statistics
• distribution
platform.
• packaging
solutions
• trained staff
• cleaning/upkeep
equipment.
FashionCo
FashionCo had to gain a
clear view on what
capabilities are critical for
the success of their rental
of seasonal clothing
(coats etc.) as a new
circular initiative at each
activity step of their value
flow. This includes what
capabilities are needed to
make this opportunity
successful at each step,
identify capabilities
FashionCo currently have
(green) and identify
critical capability gaps
(red). In addition,
FashionCo had to assess
what resources are
needed to make
this happen.
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TEMPLATE

45. 4 A: Pricing strategy tool [completed example]
FashionCo
FashionCo needs to set a
pricing strategy for their
new rental of seasonal
clothing (coats etc.)
circular initiative and
assess the benefits and
implications for this
chosen pricing strategy.
Opportunity name:
Rental of seasonal
clothing (coats etc.)
Implications:
Which pricing
model fits
best with the
opportunity?
(Pay for
ownership
or access)
Pay for
access
What are the benefits of your
chosen pricing strategy over linear
competitors? (Identifying value)
Avoids upfront cost, enables access to new garments, easy
to budget for, and avoids hassle of storage or disposal
How will you capture and report non-
financial value that would otherwise
have been lost? (For instance, the
social and environmental impact)
Track multiple use of garments and repairs to extend
life. This can be compared to a baseline of ‘normal’
garment use to calculate potential avoidance of landfill,
and natural resource usage from new production
How will your customers benefit
from this pricing strategy?
(i.e. meeting needs)
Two key segments:
1. FashionCo consumers and new consumers
who are environmentally conscious
2. Consumers who are looking for an easy and
affordable way to change their garments
How much are your customers
willing to pay? (Consider different
pricing for different segments)
Segment 1: £20 p/month for 12 month subscription service
Segment 2: £15 p/month for 24 month subscription service
What are the organisational
implications for your business?
Financial management is critical – pricing and profit
management over customer contracts and garment
lifetime. Management of stock will be critical,
including refreshing range with new/retiring items
How will this pricing strategy
impact your revenue and costs?
Steady revenues from subscription need to be balanced
against stock depreciation; capital investment in
garment stock required; management of financial risk
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TEMPLATE

46. Opportunity assessment [completed example]
WHERE
TO PLAY
How much potential value could this opportunity provide?
Think about:
• how long it will take to realise that value
• how well does the opportunity align with organisational strategy.
How great is the gap between existing capabilities and the
capabilities you require? Think about:
• the cost associated with closing the capability gap
• how much effort will it require to close the capability gap.
To what extent is there potential in the value exchange
between the business, customers and partners? Think about:
• if there is a market for the value exchange
• whether customers and partners want to be part of the opportunity.
To what extent will the pricing strategy enable financial
sustainability? Think about:
• if the pricing strategy will enable flexibility
• if the pricing strategy is right for your current and new customers now
and in the future.
How will this impact the business and its staff due to amount of
change required (including the emotional cost)? Think about:
• what it will require to launch the opportunity
• will the opportunity identified will affect the company’s
culture, processes, structure and staff.
What is the level of risk associated with doing or not doing this
opportunity? Think about:
• how this opportunity could create or prevent financial and organisational risks
• the extent to which the opportunity will affect new and existing customers.
HOW
TO WIN
HOW TO
OPERATE
HOW TO
PROFIT
BUSINESS
IMPACT
RISK
Little to no perceived value Very high perceived value
No value exchange opportunityHigh Value exchange opportunity
Current capability not compatibleCurrent capability highly compatible
Not financially sustainableVery financially sustainable
Negative impact Positive impact
High riskLow risk
TOTAL 16 POINTS /30
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47. ENDNOTES
No. Reference
1 Towards a circular economy:
business rationale for an accelerated transition
www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org, May 2015
2 As above
3 ‘Creating a taxonomy of value for a circular economy’
by Haines-Gadd, M. Charnley, F (2019),
in Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2019, Springer, 2019
4 Towards a circular economy:
business rationale for an accelerated transition
www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org, May 2015
5 ‘5 Business models that are driving the circular economy’
by Lacy, P., Rosenberg, D., Drewell, Q., Rutqvist, J. (2013)
No. Reference
6 ‘Creating a taxonomy of value for a circular economy’
by Haines-Gadd, M. Charnley, F (2019),
in Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2019, Springer, 2019
7 Towards a circular economy:
business rationale for an accelerated transition
www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org, May 2015
8 ‘A conceptual framework for circular design’
by Moreno, M. De los Rios, C. Rowe, Z., Charnley, F. (2016)
in Sustainability, 8(9), 937
9 As above
Click reference number to navigate back to context.
46
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48. About PA
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